A note about character ages

One thing I am noticing in looking over the biographies is that we have a lot of characters rooted in the prequel era. I feel compelled to point out the timeline...

http://www.darkhorse.com/zones/starwars/timeline.php

Most notably,

Episode I = 32 years before ANH
Ep II = 19 years before ANH

That's 36 years and 23 years before Endor respectively.

Try to keep this in mind. If you are claiming to be a youngling or a padawan when Anakin cleaned out the Temple... your character is 20's-30's today. If you claim to be a Knight during the clone wars, at the youngest, you're like 40-45. If you were at Geonosis, or were the padawn of a comic book character from the era, you're in your mid 40's minimum. (Poor Ayla. *sniff*)

Now I understand that people are free to make their characters how they want. And one can argue about the lifespan of humans in a futuristic galaxy not to mention the clean living that comes with being a Jedi. Plus it's just cool to be from that era. I am.

So don't get me wrong... I'm not admonishing anyone. Just keep in mind that your character will not be a kid. There will be a few wrinkles in their features here and there. They've seen a lot in the last 23+ years of exile.

Those who have already thought about this... you know who you are. ;)

That's all. :)

Apparently, this means that people haven't been reading my "Jedi in the New Timeline" thread in the Enclave forum. This was one of the concerns I addressed... the very first one infact, regarding ranks and ages.

I know people want to have characters that are in their 20's, because it's synonimous with being young and vibrant but still an adult. This is fine, but you can't also be a Jedi Knight or Jedi Master in the new timeline if you choose this. The math just does not work. My suggestion is to choose your character's level of experience first, and adjust the age of your character appropriately.

A 160 year old human in Star Wars isn't unheard of, either.

I admit I probably haven't had the same exposure to the EU as you, but... actually yeah it is. Sidious doesn't count, if that's how old he was.

But if there is a 160 year old human out there, Jedi or not, I venture to guess that he looked it. I also bet that his age was an integral part of his character, not a footnote.

Like I said... it's a futuristic galaxy. So clean living and advanced medicine add a lot to lifespan. It wouldn't surprise me at all if the average life expectancy was 120 to 130.

But it's also setting that was designed so people can relate to it. Humans are human. Bear in mind, Ben Kenobi was probably about 60 and was considered an old man by those around him. I think I remember reading in the novel of Ep 1 that Qui-Gon was in his 60's. Both could still run with the kids, but their age was reflected in their characters nonetheless.

My advice is more along the lines of a character having a level of maturity that comes with age. At least having a few wrinkles, acknowleding their age. Like Fig there.

I used http://starwars.wikicities.com/wiki/Timeline to come up with Daria's age (and from the looks of things, that Timeline is very similar if not identical to the one you linked to, Drin). She was born in the year that the Battle of Geonosis, making her 26 at the time of the Battle of Endor. So, she is quite young, and a Jedi Knight, but hopefully realistically so, given the way I've written her background.

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Originally posted by Drin Kizael
Bear in mind, Ben Kenobi was probably about 60 and was considered an old man by those around him. I think I remember reading in the novel of Ep 1 that Qui-Gon was in his 60's. Both could still run with the kids, but their age was reflected in their characters nonetheless.

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I believe "Ben" was 57 and Qui-Gon was 60. Then of course you have Dooku, who could well be some distance over 90 (Probably wouldn't be a Knight until say 25, plus about 47 years from taking Qui-Gon until we see him in TPM, plus 10 years to EP2 and we're already at 82 if these events all happened lined up) and can still flip around and take on two of the best fighters in the Jedi Order.

Well, he really didn't take them on. More like isolated Obi-wan because he was probably told to so that way he could fight Anakin alone.

Regardless, he got his butt kicked by a younger adult. One of the many reasons that Palpatine wanted Anakin as he even said, a much younger Apprentice.

Oddly all the older ones died. Ben, Dooku and Qui-Gon.. tho he got the shaft being the youngest :( I really think Ben was older then 57... he certainly looked it. :\

Anyway, back on topic :lol

It isn't how well an older person fights that is being brought up. We all know the elders can whup some butt... It is a general reminder to keep in mind your characters age and to acknowledge/post accordingly.

Well, even age doesn't mean that someone is good, bad, etc.

But age does count for a lot. With age comes great understanding. And with time, training in whatever will only make them stronger and have the edge on the younger.

But with this time thing and all, the older will be smarter and stronger then all the newer Jedi. For all the new Jedi have is either teachings from when they were at the temple or wandering with a master. If your at the temple then your already going to be kinda old.

I still dont know the exact age of Rognan. I'm really bad at keeping things strait. And if I set a age right now I might want to change it accordingly later. And I have his story so far as being at the temple when anakin fell. I figured around 5 then. But thats really young to be off with a master. Now...5 + 23 = 28. That a lot older then I would like him to be. :\

The only reason why Lianna (Navaria Reborn.. come on Batman can be reborn :p) is 20 is because I was able to fit her in well and figure out a decent backstory to have it make sense.

It took me awhile tho, I will be honest, but it can be done. Just have to wrack the brain for awhile :\

Yeah, which I dont really do or like to do at times. But really, all it does take is just people to sit down and think about what they are writing and have it make sense and fit in. Which is always the problem...people not thinking...

I'm pretty sure I aged 62 right. He was in his early 20's so I added around 27 years to his story to make him somewhere around 50. So i'm pretty sure I did it right, if not I can change it though.

Yeah, I thought about the whole age thing, hence why I went with a humanoid as opposed to human. It gave me a little more freedom to play around with the whole age bit (i.e. having the vitality of a 20-some, but having the years and experience of a 50-some). ^_^;

Quote:

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Originally posted by AmazonBabe
Yeah, I thought about the whole age thing, hence why I went with a humanoid as opposed to human. It gave me a little more freedom to play around with the whole age bit (i.e. having the vitality of a 20-some, but having the years and experience of a 50-some). ^_^;

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Heh, humanoid..

I'm pretty much doing the same thing with Liam, being in his 60's agewise and physically in his late 20's or early 30's..

Humaniod...so not fair...why does everyone else younger then they are? Oh well. I guess its time to start playing a old fart.

I'm setting Falcon as being 45, Rog...You're welcome to join me if you like. I'm still having him be from Tyntia, of course. Just that the academy still exists there now, because of the new storyarc.